Cavs welcome rising Sixers in potential playoff preview

Thursday night’s matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers could be a preview of a match up we will see in six weeks, albeit an incomplete one.

As it currently stands, the Cavs and Sixers would be the 3-6 matchup in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Throw a playoff series on the LeBron-to-Philly rumors and we’ll certainly get sick of it. But the basketball should be spectacular.

The Sixers have had their struggles this season, most notably in a 5-10 December. They’re coming off back-to-back losses including Monday against the Heat where J.J. Redick missed an open 3-pointer that could have won the game at the buzzer. Nevertheless, the Sixers have been solid in 2018 and just had their best month, going 8-3 in February.

Joel Embiid is a matchup issue for the Cavs and without Kevin Love, or to a lesser extent Channing Frye, they will have trouble dragging him out of the paint without a stretchy big man.

Perhaps this could be a game in which we will see Tyronn Lue go to LeBron at center earlier than normal to drag Embiid away from the basket where he swallows drives up like a killer whale. Lue has gone with it during games, especially in the fourth quarter, but Embiid’s interference could force his hand.

In addition to Embiid, Ben Simmons is a LeBron-like problem on the perimeter. He can’t shoot from distance but he can do everything else. He’s already flashed some excellent polish around the basket.

This is Cleveland’s first matchup against Philly since the trade and their first without Kevin Love. Love should be back before playoff time but the rest of the new guys will get a chance to scout a team that could be their first round opponent in April.

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